East of Eden

by John Steinbeck

“I guess the last bad habit a man will give up is advising.” “I don’t want advice.” “Nobody does. It’s a giver’s present. Go through the motions, Adam.” “What motions?” “Act out being alive, like a play. And after a while, a long while, it will be true.” “Why should I?” Adam asked. Samuel was looking at the twins. “You’re going to pass something down no matter what you do or if you do nothing. Even if you let yourself go fallow, the weeds will grow and the brambles. Something will grow.” Adam did not answer, and Samuel stood up. “I’ll be back,” he said. “I’ll be back again and again. Go through the motions, Adam.” In the back of the shed Lee held Doxology while Sam mounted. “There goes your bookstore, Lee,” he said. “Oh, well,” said the Chinese, “maybe I didn’t want it much anyway.”